I'm Safe
by into infinity we go
Summary: She was broken, scared. She was a prisoner in her own life. Until she finally escaped, until she met him. The one man who made it all okay, who treated her with kindness she'd forgotten existed in the world. But...happy endings don't exist, surely? (OQ) (First in Safe series) (M for triggering themes) (ON HIATUS)
1. Chapter 1

_This is a rewrite of my previous fic, Safe and Sound. I want to thank_ _ **changingdestiny40**_ _for supplying me with the idea of the storyline. I may stray from it quite a bit. Oh, and_ _after thought, I'm changing the ship. The inner OutlawQueen in me broke through._

 _As originally it was supposed to be SwanQueen, and I cant be bothered to change the storyline, it may not always make complete sense. For example, Regina will_ discover _Storybrooke, instead of being its Mayor._

 _I will definitely try to finish this, because this time, I have a storyline to follow! Let's see how it goes._

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 **Disclaimer: I don't own any characters, they belong to ABC and OUAT**

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 **Trigger Warning: Abuse**

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 **Chapter 1**

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For Regina Mills, life was one of hiding away, of hiding the bruises, and the way his words were bullets fired from the gun that was his mouth. It was a haunting nightmare, only she was awake, experiencing every chilling moment that would leave her crying silently on the inside, scared that the tears would simply anger him more. And through this, she had become a master at pretending she was ok, that everything was fine, everything was as perfect as those stupid fairytale happy endings.

It wasn't.

Nothing was ok. Nothing was perfect. But as long as she kept Henry safe, as long as Daniel never lay a hand on him, then perhaps it would be slightly better. She was watching him now, colouring on the coffee table in the living room, oblivious to the bruises that lined his mother's wrists, or the dark circles that were beginning to appear under tired brown eyes. He was five. He wasn't _supposed_ to notice them in his childhood vision, because he was supposed to be happy, and he was. She made sure of that.

Regina sighed, pushing herself off the doorway, making her way into the kitchen, and switching on the stove. Best to start dinner now, so that it would be ready when Daniel came through the door. At least that way, he wouldn't start on her. As the water for the pasta began to boil, she heard the front door open. No. It was too early. Regina frowned, checking the clock. How had time gone by that fast?

"Regina?"

The brunette bit her lip, mentally considering to ignore him, though she knew it would simply enrage him. And so, she made her way out to the hallway.

"Hey"

It was simple, it wasn't endearing, it wasn't loving. It was just a greeting, because she didn't feel anything towards him, not anymore. When the abuse started, a year after their marriage, she believed there was still the Daniel she knew lurking beneath. That he was the nineteen year old boy she had fallen head over heels for back in college, that he was just going through a rough patch. After they continued for another two years, she knew he wasn't there any longer. That the man she so desperately wanted, had faded into a hate filled monster, triggered by the smallest mistake. She had known him for nine years, had been married to him for seven, and loved him for five. She had been stuck in an unhappy marriage for four years. Four years.

"Is dinner ready?" Daniel asked, kicking his shoes off in the general direction of the cupboard. The question drew her out of thought, and she didn't hear him at first.

"Huh?" Regina tilted her head, focusing on him. "Oh, uh, not yet" She swallowed slowly, watching as his eyes narrowed slightly. But Daniel did nothing, instead moved past her with a small shove, and made his way to the couch. Regina released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, resting her head against the wall. That had been a close call. though he probably wouldn't have done anything as Henry was only in the other room. The brunette went back into the kitchen, preparing dinner in silence, alert for anything that could happen.

~0~

Dinner passed without incident, both of them listening to Henry's babbles of excitement- though she kept a careful eye on Daniel, _just in case_. Once they had all finished, she collected the plates, placing them in the sink and starting the water to wash up. Right. Henry needed to go to bed early, he had school tomorrow. Whilst the water was heating, Regina walked put her son to bed, tucking the covers around him.

"Night night, my little Prince" She whispered, placing a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"Night night, Mama" Henry mumbled back, burrowing down under the duvet. She smiled, switching off the light and exiting. She walked back to the sink in the kitchen, running the water and watching as it filled the metal basin. The minute it was done, lilac sleeves were rolled up, and soft hands were dipped in the hot water. Regina began to scrub the dishes, knowing they had to be perfect. Just so long as he stayed out of the kitchen. Just as long as he left her alone tonight. Nearer the end, as she was ready to finish, sighing slightly in relief due to his presence not appearing, she stopped. A hand. A hand on her waist. _His_ hand. Regina tensed, closing her eyes, trying to calm down. Another hand joined the first, on her other hip. A mouth was lowered to her neck. She shrugged him off.

"Not now" She knew it was a mistake from the second the words passed her lips. No one ever told Daniel no. Ever. Especially her. She knew what was coming by the way his grip tightened, fingertips digging in, the way he had straightened behind her.

"Excuse me?" It wasn't exactly a question. Daniel turned her to face him, mouth in something close to a growl. "Am I missing something? Since when do _you_ make the orders?"

"Daniel.."

"Did I ask you to speak?!" He snapped, one hand moving to her wrist. Regina's voice was gone, and she opened her eyes to focus on him. Chocolate eyes were filled with a hidden fear, slightly wider than usual. Her unresponsive state only seemed to irritate him more, and Daniel raised his palm in the air. Regina flinched, turning her head as it collided with her cheek, shading it red.

"Answer me. Did I ask you to speak?"

"N-No"

"Then don't." And with that, he stormed out. Regina listened, hearing the familiar sound of the door slamming. She slid down the wall, allowing tears to roll down her cheeks. Her arms wrapped around her legs, burying her head on the top of her knees. The only sound in the apartment was the muffled, choked sobs that sounded from the trembling brunette.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks to everyone who has followed and/or favourited this! Reviews are my food, keep feeding me XD_

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 **Disclaimers remain the same**

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 **TW: Abuse**

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 **Chapter 2**

Nightmares were a common horror she faced, each one worse then the previous, all of them making her wake in cold sweat, trembling in the sheets. All of them were vivid. All of them had happened. Whether it was of Daniel, her mother, or Leopald, every nightmare left her shaken to her core, walking around for the next few hours with her head in a seemingly endless torment. That was life.

It was the early hours of the morning when she woke, panting, shaking... Regina had simply gotten out of bed, pacing for a few minutes, before padding into the lounge. She had grabbed the phone, dialled her sister's number, waited as it rung...and then stopped, hanging up. She couldn't tell Zelena. The last time she had tried...Daniel had walked in... Things had been bad. Things had happened which caused a whole new series of nightmares. Regina sighed, placing the phone back down. Listening for a second in case Daniel was waking, she sat at the desk, opening the laptop. Within minutes, she was looking at pictures of Storybrooke. It took a few tries, as the town was quaint and remote, but she did find one page full of information.

The idea had been running around her head for around four weeks now. Move. Move to Storybrooke, escape Daniel, see her sister.. No. _He_ would find out. He wouldn't let her get away.

And what about Henry? Sure, she could just pack up his bags and take him too, but he was enrolled in school. She couldn't drag him away from that, he loved it there. The brunette sighed again, raking a hand through her hair. She checked the time. 5:50. Daniel would be up in ten minutes. Regina shut down the device, heading to the kitchen to begin the breakfast, silently arguing with herself.

Move to Storybrooke, be happy, and live life? That was the best option. But, well...she was _scared_. There, she admitted it. She rarely did; as a Mills, she had learnt to never show fear, but every time Daniel's hand lifted into the air, or his voice would raise ever so slightly, every time the door slammed, or his grip on her was just _a little_ too tight, something would curl in her stomach, make her feel ill.

 _Fear_.

It had been there for years now, it was the thing that stopped her from walking out the door, from leaving Daniel behind. She heard him now, rousing, probably wondering why she wasn't there. Regina switched on the kettle, counting in her head. Sure enough, he stumbled out of the bedroom door at exactly six.

"Morning"

That was the good thing; Daniel was never fully awake in the mornings, and so he was actually a decent guy at those times.

"Good morning" To make an effort, she kissed his cheek gently, to which he smiled, kissing her forehead. Regina prodded him lightly in the chest.

"You go get dressed, I'll finish your breakfast"

Daniel didn't object, dragging his feet sleepily down the hallway, back to the bedroom. Regina continued her task, making sure the bacon was cooked to how he liked it, buttering the bread with just the right amount of butter. Within minutes, a bacon sandwich was set in front of Daniel's place, accompanied by a steaming mug of black coffee. Regina waited, looking at the clock. In half hour, he would be gone...

That half hour passed quickly, and soon enough, he was out the door, closing it a little louder then needed. She lay on the couch, thankful for just this moment's peace. This type of peacefulness was hard to come by in the apartment, there was always too much happening, whether it was Henry running around- which she didn't mind, of course- or Daniel shouting, something was always going on.

It was actually quite nice, being able to relax. She knew Henry would be stirring soon, and then the school run would begin. Then it was grocery shopping, cleaning, pick up Henry, cook dinner..

There was a chance that Daniel would be home late, as he usually was on Fridays, but that was even worse. That meant he would come home reeking of alcohol, would be more prone to snapping over the smallest thing. Though perhaps she could fall asleep before he came home... She sat up as she heard Henry beginning to wake. The brunette walked down the hallway, still playing with the idea in her mind.

~0~

It was easier said then done. Because she could never fall asleep before him. And today had been...interesting.

She had gone grocery shopping, her plan to go in, get the items she needed, and leave. Of course, it didn't go that way. She had been at the checkout, placing items down, when someone had seen...

Someone had seen the bruises that suspiciously resembled fingertips. Damn, she had forgotten to wear the watch that usually hid them.

"What are those?" The man had asked. If she didn't know him, then she would have made a remark about the bluntness, but this was the son of their neighbour, the one who never missed his curfew, who always got good grades, and had never touched a drop of alcohol. He was a good kid, and he meant the best.

"It's nothing" was her reply, as she pulled her sleeves down to cover them as best as she could. She had just continued to load things onto the belt.

"Miss Mills, were those bruises?"

"No." There was a tone to her voice, one that ended the conversation. The kid had looked at her in disbelief, but dropped the subject. She had paid, taken the bags in hand, and driven home as fast as legally possible. She was home in record time, unpacking everything, placing boxes in the cupboards, milk in the fridge, sweets on the top shelf, out of reach from young hands.

And then she had set up the laptop again, scrolled through her history until she found the webpage, clicked on it, and read it for the tenth time. She was going to do it. Regina didn't know how, or when, but she _would_ move to Storybrooke...without Daniel.

Everything from there had been fine, she picked up Henry, cooked dinner, set a plate aside for Daniel, ignoring the curl in her stomach as she realised how he would come home tonight. She had given Henry a bath, tucked him in bed, read him a story, wished him goodnight, and had exited the room.

Regina had sat, waiting. It was midnight when he staggered through the door at last, slurring something that possibly could have resembled English. And it was clear by how those incoherent mutters had an edge of anger to them, that Daniel was going snap, that tonight wouldn't end in a good way.

She was right.

It was 1:30am when Regina had finally cleared up. Her shoulders trembled with silent sobs, her hands shook as she wrapped the broken glass in newspaper, and her legs felt like they were going to give out any second. All the while, she tried, in vain, to forget about the burning pain spreading through her body. Daniel was passed out drunk now, collapsed onto the sofa. When she saw herself in the mirror, a fresh new wave of tears threatened to spill. Where was that strong woman she once was? The one who never let anyone walk over her, the one who would roll her eyes at new couples? Now, she would do anything to be part of one of those couples, where the love was sweet, where there were no marks, or tears. In the mirror, she now saw a broken soul, makeup smudged, tears shaded slightly black from mascara. There was a cut on her upper lip, marks on her neck...

She had to do it now. Now whilst he was asleep, whilst there was nothing in her way.

Before she could allow herself to change her mind, Regina was packing her suitcase, one for Henry too. She didn't bother to clean her wounds, that could be done later...in Storybrooke. Regina took an unsteady breath, clasping the handles of the cases. Should she really do this? What if- no. She _would_ doing it. She _would_ leave Daniel, give Henry a better life.

That was all it took. In a matter of only twenty minutes, she had the car loaded. The brunette blanked the pain as she lifted her slumbering son into her arms, carrying him downstairs. Her mind was plaguing her again, telling her it would never work...

...but if it did...

She shook her head, starting the engine. It was harder to ignore the pain now, her head was throbbing, but she still pulled out of that car park.

She still found the courage to escape.

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A/N _This chapter may have seemed a little rushed. I'm sorry if it does, but I've been stressing because of school, so my writing may not be the best. Continue to feed me with reviews!_


	3. Chapter 3

_OMG guys! I didn't y'all to have such a positive reaction! Thanks for all the lovely feedback, dearies!_

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 **Disclaimers** **listed previously**

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 **My first chapter without any triggers!**

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 **Chapter 3**

She tried to steady her breathing as she saw the sign, wishing her a good drive, and asking her to come back soon.

' _As if_ ' Regina thought to herself, stepping on the accelerator. The cut along her cheek was throbbing now, but she ignored it, as she had done so many times. She glanced at Henry through the mirror. He was curled in his carseat, head resting against the window. This was for him. This was so he would never have to risk Daniel's wrath as he grew up.

The black Mercedes sped past on the highways, no traffic to stop her- save the odd car here and there. Regina sighed, readjusting her grip on the steering wheel nervously. She'd acted on emotion, not logic. Well, it was logical to leave Daniel, but she hadn't thought it through, not properly. She'd just gone with it, too caught up in emotions. She knew that the minute he woke up, and discovered her, Henry, and his precious car gone, Daniel would be searching...

And he wouldn't stop until he found her. Until she was trapped in her own life again, screaming silently every day, praying someone would rescue her... Someone _had_. She'd saved herself for the first time in a while. The brunette brought her attention back to the road in front of her.

"Turn right in 400 yards" The GPS broke the silence. Regina turned right, onto a long stretch of road. This was it. She remembered it from the one visit to Zelena. This was the road to Storybrooke. Her foot pressed harder onto the accelerator, the thought that she was _so close_ to being completely free flying through her mind. And there it was, the sign. The sign. Within seconds, she had crossed it, breathing a sigh of something close to relief.

 _Welcome to Storybrooke_

~0~

It was quiet, no cars driving round, nothing. Well, of course it was. Zelena had told her that Storybrooke was small, practically no drama, everyone knew each other. Plus, it was a little after half two in the morning. Her cuts were beginning to sting now, a searing heat spreading through her head, arms, and legs. Regina winced, gritting her teeth. She'd have to get to Zelena's house- or some sort of accommodation- fast. The Merc drove through the streets, Regina's eyes squinting to see the road signs. Finally she saw it, 108 Mifflin Street. Zelena's.

She pulled up, leaving Henry in the car as she stumbled and limped up the pathway towards her sister's house. When she got there, she only just managed to knock, a dizziness setting in.

"Who's there- Regina?" Zelena opened the door, the sight of her sister shocking her...and then she noticed the bruises, the cuts... Regina was clutching onto the pillar, trying to remain conscious. A man appeared behind Zelena, frowning. His eyes widened at the sight.

"Zel-" Regina managed to whisper, before crumpling to the ground.

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 _I know this chapter is both short, and late, but 1. School's been stressing me 2. I have some family stuff... annnnd 3. I'm a sloth. This chapter is also one I'm not happy with, my writing wasn't up to it's best... but anyways! Review pleaaasseeee. Love y'all!_


	4. Chapter 4

_The support continues! Thanks guys- especially **outlawqueenbey44** because you love the ship StableQueen, but you're still willing to read! Here, have a handful of **awesome points** :D *gives handful of awesome points*_

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 **Disclaimers listed previously**

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 **Chapter 4**

Regina groaned weakly, vaguely feeling herself being carried in someone's arms. It was definitely a male. She freaked for a moment in her disorientated haze, trying- and failing to escape- before she realised; this wasn't Daniel, these arms were gentle, trying not to cause her any pain. Regina slowly opened her eyes, vision doubled for a few seconds. Her gaze landed on the man carrying her. She didn't recognise him...

He placed her on a bed, making sure that she didn't land painfully or uncomfortable. Blue eyes found brown, and he shot her a small smile.

"You're awake" His voice was accented, definitely British. Regina attempted to move, but was stopped by the stranger.

"Don't. Your sister will kill me if I let you move. She's coming back in a minute" He informed her, sitting next to the bed.

"Who...Who are you?" She mumbled, trying to focus her eyes.

"The name's Robin, Robin Locksley" Robin introduced. He grabbed a cloth, dipping it in the bowl of warm water Zelena had given him. He brought it to the cut on her cheek. Regina winced, hissing slightly.

"Sorry" Robin apologised quickly, pulling back.

"N-no..It-It's fine.." Regina whispered. She gave him a feeble smile, wincing again as it pulled at the cut on her lip. Robin continued, being extremely gentle. The door opened, and in came a worried Zelena, hurrying to sit next to her sister.

"What...How..." The redhead stammered, still shocked at the state of her younger sibling.

"I- ah!" Regina tightened her jaw as Robin applied the antiseptic. He apologised again, trying to press lightly on the cuts. Zelena simply stayed by Regina the whole time, mentally swearing to get revenge on whoever did this to her little sister.

"Where's...Henry..?"

"Don't worry, I put him into one of the rooms, Regina. He's safe. Now, sleep."

Robin finished up, applying bandages and plasters to anywhere needed.

"I...I don't..." Regina bit her lip. "Zel...I..I can't sleep...I wont be able to.."

"Shh, I'll stay as long as you need me to. We'll talk about this in the morning, when you've rested" Zelena squeezed Regina's hand. Robin stood.

"I'll leave you two. Thanks for inviting me over, Zelena. It was nice meeting you, Regina, though obviously, I would have preferred it to be under nicer circumstances" He nodded to them both, before excusing himself. Once he was gone, Regina spoke again.

"Can...Can you bring Henry in? I-I..."

"Of course" Within moments, Zelena had returned, carrying the slumbering five year old. She placed him down next to Regina, who sat up slightly. The brunette stroked her son's hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"We're safe" She whispered. It didn't go unnoticed by Zelena, who frowned slightly.

~0~

True to her word, Zelena stayed. It was an hour or two before Regina finally fell asleep, curled on her side. The redhead kissed her sister's hair.

"Whoever did this to you will get what's coming to them, sis" She assured quietly, walking to the door. She switched off the light, leaving Regina to sleep. Though she was finally asleep, it was not a pleasant one. Not at all.

 _She sat quietly on the end of the bed, hands placed politely on her lap, face a cover of sadness, eyes closed as her mother ploughed on._

 _"Stupid girl! You could have_ been _something, that future I planned for you! And instead you slack! Always slacking with you, isn't it? A B-!"_

 _"Mother..."_

 _"Silence! I didn't ask you to speak! How_ dare _you think that this grade is ok! You've embarrassed me, foolish girl"_

 _"I'm sorry, Mother... I'll try harder.. I-I'll study more, and-and.."_

 _"Of course you will! And no more prancing around with that boy, Daniel"_

 _"But-"_

 _"No buts! Until you start behaving like you've been taught, no privileges. I was kind to let you out to meet him, but it seems he's distracted you from your studies"_

 _"Mother, please!"_

 _"No! That's enough, Regina. Now, sort yourself out. We have a visitor." Cora Mills slammed out of the room. Regina allowed the tears to fall, wiping them away with the back of her hand._

~0~

Regina woke, sighing. If she had known that Daniel would turn out like he did, she would've listened to her mother those years ago...but at the time, he was different. They'd met in the afterschool Study Group in the school library...

~0~

 _Placing her bag by a random chair, the brunette walked to a shelf of books, scanning through them. Her mother would kill her if she didn't get at least an A on this test. As she turned the corner to the next row, she collided straight into another student. He caught her arm as she stumbled back, smiling._

 _"Sorry about that, I should've been looking.." Regina bit her lip, looking down._

 _"It was my fault, don't worry" Daniel gave her a crooked smile, one that made her heart flutter slightly. "I'm Daniel, Daniel Coulter"_

 _"I'm-"_

 _"Regina Mills" He finished._

 _"E-Excuse me? How did you..."_

 _"Come on, everyone knows who you are. You always get A+ or A*s. Annnd you're a Mills"_

 _Regina sighed, scratching her wrist awkwardly. She winced as she pressed down on a bruise. Daniel frowned._

 _"You ok? Did I say something?"_

 _"N-No...I just...it's nothing.."_

 _Daniel, sensing there was something bothering her, decided to change the subject._

 _"Can I interest you in a study partner?" He offered with a grin._

 _"I..Sure" Regina smiled._

~0~

She'd fallen for him. Hard. And he'd made her happy, for a while. For the while he was a good person.. Those were the days..

When he'd laced their fingers together in the middle of the street, swinging their arms, or when he would mess around in the library when they were supposed to be studying, hiding the books, mixing them in the wrong places, skidding round corners, and hiding from the librarian. Those were the times...

Back then everything had been fine.

 _Back then she was happy._

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A/N I wanted to give a little backstory to how she and Daniel met. There'll be more to come! As per usual, I will request you review. Comment any questions, suggestions, ideas, likes/dislikes you have about the story! Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

_And the love continues! OMG you guys are awesome, everyone can have_ _ **awesome points**_ _*_ showers everyone with awesome points*

 _I want to thank the Guest who commented last chapter. Sadly you don't have a profile, so I can't favourite or follow you or anything, but that comment actually made my day. I would like to note, though, that my fandom thing isn't something I wrote, it was on my friend's profile :) But thanks, Guest! *_ showers you with awesome points*

 _I_ ' _m mainly used to people criticising my work, rather than appreciating it, so thanks, y'all!_

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 _Originally, as the option won the poll, this was going to be a normal chapter. But I'm gonna add in at least one flashback, for a little more insight- it's relevant. And it saves the whole chapter being speech based. I will probably do a normal chapter next chapter, but the flashbacks are essential in this._

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 **Disclaimers at start**

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 **TW: Mention of abuse/description**

 **Chapter 5**

When she woke a second time, it was later than usual. Five hours later, actually. Regina yawned, momentarily forgetting the previous night...until she sat up and everything ached. She groaned, a splitting headache pushing through her mind, throbbing. She knew Zelena would be talking to her today, and she knew that she couldn't avoid that talk.

Another thing she noticed was the laughing coming from the living room. Henry. And just that sound, the squeals and giggles of her son filled with happiness, brought a smile to her face. A genuine smile, one that even brought a flicker of light into her eyes, a light that had previously been snuffed out by the shouts, palms raised in the air, and purpling marks that stained tanned skin, creating deeper wounds in her mind then her body.

Shifting so she was sitting slightly more comfortably, Regina moved her legs out of the bed.

"Don't you think you're moving." came a voice from the doorway. Zelena.

"I'm fine, Zel. I can walk."

"I don't care whether you can. You're going to lie in that bed, and rest. You need that; a day of no worrying, just time to relax. And you can have that, once we've talked."

"I don't want to talk. I'm fine." Regina insisted, but she kept her eyes down.

"Fine? 'Gina, how many times have you claimed to be fine? When really on the inside, you were screaming, begging for someone to hear you? You're not fine. We need to talk about this. I'm sorry if I seem harsh, but I'm your sister, and I care. So, talk."

"Who's looking after-"

"Mary Margaret and David. Henry's fine" Zelena moved over to the bed, sitting next to Regina.

"Please, sis... Tell me what happened.." The redhead found her sister's eyes, silently pleading for Regina to spill everything she'd boarded up. When the brunette still didn't say anything, Zelena continued.

"He did it... didn't he? Dan-"

"Yes." It was a whisper, if even that. It was broken, shattered...tired. "Yes. H-He did..."

"That son of a..." Zelena muttered, but she kept her cool, knowing that getting angry wouldn't do anything to help her sibling right now.

"How long has this been going on for?" She asked gently, placing her hand on Regina's shoulder.

"..Six years.."

" _Six years_? Regina, you've been married fore seven! Henry's five!" Zelena reached forward, hugging the younger woman to her. Regina buried her face in Zelena's shoulder, trembling slightly.

"How come you never told me?"

"...Because...I-I..He...Daniel stopped me... I was _scared_ , Zel.."

"Oh, Regina..." Zelena hugged her tighter, though remaining mindful of the fact that Regina was still very much bruised.

"Tell me everything."

~0~

 _Regina looked out the window, smiling at the falling leaves. Autumn was her favourite season; leaves the colours of fire twirling through the air in Nature's dance, cozy evenings by the fireplace, mug of hot cocoa in her hand and a book open in her lap, long walks through the park in the brisk morning air, enough to make you shiver, but in a good way. But Daniel had been acting strange recently. She had noticed it for around a month now, his mood was changing, he was always stressed, always tense and seemingly angry. They still had fun together, and he'd try to put on a smile for her, but it scared her how rare that smile was becoming..._

 _Was she overreacting? She knew he had a tough job, and that he was one of the youngest in his office... It was work, that's all. Work must be stressing him out..._

 _Regina hummed, turning the page of her book, dropping her glace back to the inked words. Within minutes, she was transported to the familiar word of Harry Potter, arriving at Hogwarts in her mind, helping Harry unlock the Chamber of Secrets to save Ginny. She'd read these books numerous times, and the films were still her favourite series. She was so caught up in her book, that she barely registered the sound of the door slamming, and an angry curse._

 _"Regina?" He called, walking in. Regina looked up._

 _"Hey, honey" She stood, kissing his cheek. Daniel didn't make any move to show her a sign of love back. Regina frowned._

 _"Everything ok?"_

 _"Is dinner ready?" He snapped, shrugging away._

 _"No... I didn't expect you back until later... What's wrong, Daniel?"_

 _He ignored the latter question._

 _"Why the hell wouldn't you start dinner?"_

 _"I... Tell me what's wrong, please..." Regina placed a hand on his upper arm. Daniel glared at her, shrugging her off, but not before catching ahold of Regina's wrist. She tried to break free._

 _"Daniel..."_

 _"You didn't answer my question."_

 _"Daniel, please... You're hurting me" Regina tried prying his fingers off. He was digging in, and it seriously hurt. "Please..."_

 _He still wouldn't let go. Instead, his fingers dug in even harder, causing tears to prick in her eyes._

 _"Daniel! Please!" Regina whimpered, allowing a tear to fall, running down her cheek. Daniel tilted his head, spotting the tear, and it was as if suddenly he changed. He removed his hand, brow furrowed, eyes softening._

 _"Regina... I'm so sorry..." He mumbled, wrapping his arms around her, tugging her closer to him. Regina buried her face in the crook of his neck, sniffling._

 _"I didn't mean to, 'Gina... I promise I'll never lose my temper with you again... I promise"_

~0~

Regina slowly met Zelena's eyes. They were shocked.

"He... _promised_ , and still did it? Regina..."

"I.. I believed him... I loved him, of course I believed him... and for a while, h-he stayed true to his promise.."

"Are you ok to tell me the rest?"

Regina nodded.

~0~

 _It had been seven months since that incident, but it wasn't forgotten by either of them. Daniel had stayed true to his promise, he hadn't lost his temper with her since that day. That was until he returned home drunk one night, stumbling through the door, slurring words that barely resembled English. Regina was cleaning, polishing one of their frames. The picture inside displayed the pair of them, both on horses. Each of them had their arm outstretched to the grap between them, hands each making half of a heart. They were joined in the middle, making the heart whole. It was one of her favourite pictures of them together._

 _"R'gina?" Daniel slurred, staggering into the room. She looked up, rolling her eyes at his drunken state._

 _"Get to bed, Daniel" She admonished gently, standing with the picture in her hand._

 _"Mhm, come w'th me" He mumbled, swaying slightly. Regina shook her head._

 _"I'm going to finish cleaning. Now go to bed, before you pass out" She chuckled, pushing him lightly in the way of the bedroom. Daniel stumbled back a few steps, but didn't go any further._

 _"Come w'th me.."_

 _"No, Daniel"_

 _"'Gina.." He caught her wrist, not harshly or painfully, just a soft grip._

 _"Daniel, I said no. I'm cleaning" Regina went to push him off, but his grip tightened. It instantly made her mind flare with worry._

 _"Daniel.." She kept her voice steady, just the slight hint of sternness._

 _"C'mon.."_

 _"No."_

 _Daniel pulled her towards him, trying to convince her. Regina broke free of his grasp. She hated him like this. Usually when he was drunk, he was ok, just silly and kind of adorable, but occasionally, he was a persistant drunk- and not in a good way._

 _She watched as his eyes narrowed. The picture frame was still in her hand, shaking as her her hand trembled involuntarily. Daniel frowned, his lips set in a scowl._

 _"I said come to bed."_

 _"And I said no. Numerous times" Her voice was raising slightly, to match his. Both were highly competitive, which is why their arguments- though rare- were usually long, tiring, and hurtful, because they both wanted to win._

 _"You go. I'll be there in-" She never got to finish her sentence as his open palm met her cheek. Her face turned, picture dropping to the ground with a crack. Regina seemed to curl in on herself, shoulders hunched. She stayed like that, not facing him. Like he'd done those months ago, Daniel seemed to snap out of it, eyes widening as he realised what he'd done. As if he'd sobered up, he reached towards to hold her to him, kissing her hair._

 _The picture lay discarded on the rug. Where their hands had once joined in a heart, was now the centre of a crack, lines jagging out unevenly across the full surface of glass._

 _"I love you, 'Gina.. I'm so so sorry... I love you.."_

 _She shook against him. This was just because he was drunk, that's all..._

 _"I love you too, Daniel"_

* * *

A/N So how was that? The flashbacks _were_ kinda essential, but I promise next chapter will just be a normal chapter :)

Also, I'm pretty sure jagging is a word (?). If it isn't, well, it is now XD

Review as always, dearies! I love reading your feedback :D


	6. Chapter 6

_I love you guys :3 Thanks for the reviews!_

* * *

 **Disclaimers have already been said, yada yada**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

"No."

"Regina, come on.."

"No. I'm not going, Zel. That's the end of it." Regina shook her head stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest. Zelena wanted to take her down to the diner tonight- there was some celebration or something going on. She couldn't...

She'd been here for a few days now, but the fear had never gone away. She would always look behind her when in the garden, always glancing out the window, scared she would spot his car parked outside. The fear lingered in the back of her mind, taunting her. Regina hadn't been out and about since arriving, preferring to stay within the house, or the garden, where she felt secure. People would ask questions; questions that she still wasn't ready to answer.

"I promise nothing will happen. The people here are nice, I know practically all of them. C'mon" Zelena urged, watching her sister carefully. She knew why Regina didn't want to go, but the brunette needed to go out, to be around people. Regina sighed.

"Fine. But for an hour tops, ok?"

"Deal. And we can even bring Henry. Ruby's great at entertaining kids"

"Yeah, yeah" Regina ran a hand through her hair, looking out the window for the tenth time that day.

"Robin will be there too." Zelena smirked slightly. Her neighbour had been round the past few days, and it seemed he was the only male that Regina had relaxed around- even with David when he'd popped round, she'd flinched away. Regina tensed slightly, giving her a look.

"That's... Well, he's a nice guy" She was telling the truth. Robin had somehow managed to get her to trust him; it was his nature, he was just such a gentle and kind guy... but she'd thought that about Daniel at some point... No. Robin _was_ those things, she could see it. The way his eyes brightened in hue when he was round, cracking jokes to cheer her up. The way that his left cheek flashed a dimple whenever he would grin, which was fairly often. And the way that he never made quick movements towards her. A strange thing to consider, she knew, but that was why she'd flinched with David: when he held out his hand to shake, he'd done it just a little too quickly, and her mind played repeats of Daniel. Robin made sure he never scared her, making his movements so she could see them. He was sweet.

She wasn't ready, however, to start thinking of him in _that_ light. This wasn't just some game, some chapter in a book of her life, this was reality. And the reality was she had fled from an abusive marriage, but she was still married, she was still scarred both physically and mentally. Daniel would still be looking for her, he could turn up any day. Robin was sweet, but that was it.

Zelena smiled, wanting oh so badly to play matchmaker- anyone could see how perfect those two were for each other- but it was cruel to do such a thing when Regina was still healing. She settled with a nod.

"Do you want any help getting ready?"

"No. I'll be fine" Regina excused herself from the room, padding to what had become her bedroom. Lately she'd been having some...issues, with how she viewed her body. Issues inflicted by _his_ words. She rarely looked at herself in the mirror, not for a long period of time, anyway. She rifled through the wardrobe, selecting a dress. Shaking her head at her moment's hesitation, Regina pulled it on, studying herself in the mirror. Did it look ok? Did it suit her? Was that a bruise showing? Her eyes drifted to her knees. The dress came down to just above her kneecaps, and a bruise was still there. It was fading, but still on show... Would everyone look? Was this worth it?

"You look beautiful" It was Zelena, leaning against the doorframe. Regina bit her lip.

"You sure? You're not just saying that?"

"Regina, we both know how vocal I am with my thoughts. If I thought it didn't suit you, I'd say" Zelena chuckled. "But this" She gestured to the dress. "looks amazing"

"Thanks.."

"Now, I've gotten Henry ready. I'll entertain him whilst you finish up, 'kay?"

Regina nodded, turning back to her reflection. She heard Zelena go downstairs. Regina sighed. When did she let Daniel have such a reign over her, her thoughts? As the brunette applied the finishing touches of make up, her eyes drifted to her lip. Sure enough, there would be a scar. It still hadn't fully healed yet, but she could tell.

 _He had left his mark._

A small shudder rippled through the brunette. Regina sighed, looking herself over one more time. Apart from the healing cuts and bruises, her mind only gave her compliments. For the first time in a while, she felt good. Regina made her way downstairs, slipping into a pair of black heels, borrowed from Zelena.

"Mama!" It was Henry, charging towards her. She chuckled, crouching to greet him.

"Hey, honey" She smiled, hugging him close to her. In all of this, all this madness, all this fear, he was the one that kept her to the ground. Her son was the reason she'd stayed strong all that time; his beaming grin, his warm hazel eyes that were filled with a childhood happiness, his mop of chocolate coloured hair. Her son was the light in that swirling darkness. She was thankful for him. Henry wrapped his arms around her neck.

"You look pre-tty, Mama" Henry pulled back. He stumbled over one of the words, but he'd tried. Regina chuckled again, ruffling his hair.

"Why thank you, my little Prince. You look rather dashing yourself"

Henry giggled. The sound alone warmed Regina's heart. He was happy, that was what she cared about. As long as that adorable smile remained on his face as he grew up, she'd done a good job.

"Now, why don't you get your shoes on, and we can get going with Aunty 'Lena?"

He nodded, scurrying off down the hallway with the soft patter of socked feet against wood. Regina walked to the front door, nerves now kicking in. This was it.

She was going out in the open, despite the gnawing feeling that Daniel was out there, always watching, always plotting. She was possibly risking- No.

She was accepting freedom.

* * *

A/N _I dislike this chapter, personally. The original draft was much better, but it got deleted, so... I know this chapter is short, and not that good, but I guess it's the same excuses? School started up again today (and I had no sleep last night. Whatsoever (I actually fell asleep for a bit in one of my lessons XD)_

 _Comment what ya think down in the reviews. I may not reply to all of ye, but I do read 'em all :)_

Coming up next: **the party**


	7. Chapter 7

_Once more, guys, thanks for the positive feedback!_

 _If you wanna ask me any questions, don't hesitate to shoot me a PM :)_

* * *

 **Disclaimers stay the same**

* * *

 **TW: Mention of abuse**

 **Chapter 7**

The party was already in swing when they arrived, but it wasn't what she was exactly expecting. There was soft music in the background, and people just stood in clusters, chatting with bright smiles painted on their faces as they laughed. It was a nice setting, one she hadn't been in for some time. Henry ran forward straight away, to who she presumed was Ruby; a waitress who bent down to hug Henry. It was clear the two already had a pretty strong bond, probably from when Zelena had took Henry down to the diner in the mornings and once in the evening for food. Speaking of her sister, where was she? Regina surveyed the room, spotting the redhead speaking with Mary Margaret and David. Zelena looked at her, waving Regina over. The brunette sighed, walking over to the small group.

"You've met Mary Margaret and David, right, 'Gina?"

"Yeah" Regina forced a smile, glancing at the two kind faces of the married couple.

"Nice to see you again" David nodded. Regina gave a small nod back, scanning the rest of the crowd for a place she could just be alone.

"E-Excuse me" She mumbled, dodging past and moving towards the back of the diner. She stayed in the hallway, away from everyone else, and closed her eyes, heart thumping. For a split second, it felt as if the walls were closing in on her, pushing closer, trapping her in a box of fear. Since when was she so claustrophobic? Regina sighed, leaning her head back against the wall.

"Care for some company?" came an accented voice. She jumped, eyes snapping open. Regina took a minute to register it was only Robin, leant against the wall by her. He stepped back, realising he should've made his entrance known.

"Sorry" The Brit apologised. "I didn't mean to scare you"

"No.. It's fine. Sorry, I'm just a little...jumpy" Regina ran a hand through her hair, looking at him. Robin tilted his head.

"Everything ok?"

"Fine." She lied, rather badly too. Nothing was ok right now, she was freaking out; the crowds...the people... it was too much. She couldn't deal with it right now. Robin took a step towards her, still not too close.

"Do you want to talk? We can go outside, get some air? You look like you could use that" He shot her a gentle smile. Regina nodded, following him out.

~0~

The air was crisp, a somehow comforting cold. They walked for a while, Robin leading her to the local park. By the time they got there, though, she was shivering, running one hand over her arm, trying to warm up. Robin shrugged off his coat, wrapping it around her shoulders. Regina jumped- like she had back in the hallway- when he'd touched her, but relaxed as the coat brought some warmth to her.

"Thanks..."

"It's no problem, you're cold" Robin sat down on a bench, an arm resting around the back. Regina hesitated for a second, before gingerly sitting next to him, shoulders hunched. It didn't go unnoticed by the Brit, who frowned slightly. A few moments of silence passed, Regina deep in thought, Robin contemplating his next question. When he spoke, it induced a few more minutes silence.

"What happened to you?"

The question only made her hunch over further, clenching her eyes shut as memories flooded back. What _didn't_ happen to her? She'd experienced much more then she could cope with, much more then most people. She'd gone through too much, things the average person only feared in the back of their mind. Robin watched her with both concern and a small flicker of curiosity. He wanted to learn about her, comfort her. He wanted her to trust him, to know that not every man would hurt her. He wanted her to know that he would always be there for her; that his friendship would always be free, his shoulder always there for her to cry on. When Regina turned to him, her eyes were open again, a layer of unshed tears glazed over her irises.

"Hey, hey, it's ok" He reached a hand towards her, but she flinched. Robin stopped, letting his hand drop to his lap.

"You don't have to tell me, Regina"

She seemed to relax, only slightly. Regina quivered, not from cold, from the torment of her mind, from the memories, from the mental pain.

"I was 21.." She whispered, avoiding his eyes again. Robin was about to say "What?" before realising what she was saying. He let her continue.

"We'd been married for a year. I was still healing; I-I'd gone through some things in high school... But he made it ok. He was always there, smiling, making me laugh. He was always _so perfect_ " Her voice wavered, the tears starting to fall. It hurt Robin to see her in such a state.

"And then...one night, h-he came home annoyed, angry... It wasn't anything bad, he just held too tightly onto my wrist, b-but... but it was unlike him. He apologised, made it all better again, promised he wouldn't do it again.. I-I...I believed him" Regina stopped for a second to wipe her eyes. She continued on.

"It was seven months until the next incident... He came home late, completely drunk... He snapped...a-and he hit me... He started to become worse, and yet, he was still perfect in my eyes... I thought it was my fault.. That I was just being difficult, or I was just reading too much into it..." Pause. "God, I was _so stupid_ "

"Regina, none of this was your fault... None of it. You were the victim, not him." Robin stated, firmly, but with a caring tone. Regina didn't reply, ploughing on with her tale once more.

"I-I tried...I tried to make myself better, to fit his standards... but it was exhausting... I made excuses, the same ones e-each time... "I fell" or "I must have hit it on something". Then I got pregnant with Henry... and he stopped. H-He became the man I fell in love with again..." Her voice shook again, the tears rolling down her cheeks at a faster pace.

"Henry was six months when he snapped again... I-It was...I-It..H-He..." That was when she broke down completely, head in hands. Robin scooted over, wrapping his arms around her. Regina didn't even tense this time, just buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing. All the while, Robin rubbed her back, whispering reassurances. The brunette in his arms still trembled, completely shattered. Everything she'd built up, boarded away, was coming back in waves of tears. She clutched onto his shirt, hands in fist, because he was a light in her darkness, she didn't want him to leave. She wanted him to stay there, wanted him to be real. And he was. They stayed like that for a while, her crying into his shoulder, his neck, his chest, and him comforting her, telling her he was there, he was always there, he would _always_ be there. Even when her tears had stopped, she remained holding onto him, sniffling. Eventually, Robin pulled back, wiping any remainder of the tears away with his thumb.

"Let's get you home"

"I don't know where that is.. not anymore" Regina mumbled, releasing her grip on him. Robin gave her a sympathetic look.

"Home is where the heart is" He said, standing, offering her his hand. Regina took it, releasing it when she was stood next to him. She thought about what he said. Where was her heart? Sure, it was with Storybrooke, her sister, Henry.. but _where_? She began walking, Robin behind her. He picked up his coat, jogging to catch up to her, and wrapping it around her shoulders again. Regina gave him a small smile. The walk was in silence, both of them thinking about the conversation. Robin only came out of thought to write a quick text to Zelena, telling her not to worry about where Regina was, he was with her.

~0~

Regina shrugged the coat off, handing it back to him.

"Thanks, Robin... for everything, for listening, for being here.."

"I'll always be here. My shoulder's always free for you to cry on, my ears will always be open to listen. Just give me a call"

"I will" Regina opened the gate to Zelena's house.

"..Goodnight, Robin"

Robin turned to her, opening his own gate. He shot her a dimpled smile.

"Goodnight, Regina"

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A/N _Well, how was that? Feels? I should hope so. Honestly, I was practically crying whilst writing this chapter._

 _Side note, the whole chapter is basically based off a line from the song_ 'Back to December' _by Taylor Swift:_ "And when you held me in your arms that September night, the first time you ever saw me cry"

 _I've received a few questions through PM about my name change, and it's nothing in particular, I just felt like changing it X3_

 _As always, I encourage you to post your views; I love reading them. Thanks for sticking with me this far. I'll try and update again soon :)_


	8. Chapter 8

_I don't think any chapter will ever beat that one, so many feels..._

 _Thanks, as always, for the love, guys :D_

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 **Disclaimers have been said**

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 **Chapter 8**

She didn't sleep that night, her mind reeling with thoughts, memories, nightmares. Regina checked the small alarm clock. 1:44 am... She sighed, rolling out of bed and going to the window, looking out. Her eyes fell on nothing in particular, just a place she could gaze at and sort out her thoughts.

Was she ok? That was the main question, pushing through her head, demanding to be answered. Because she didn't know anymore. She'd always been...strong, or at least tried to be; she dealt with everything, didn't let it get to her. But now, she couldn't sleep, she could only just eat, she was breaking down in front of people... It was as if now she didn't have to be strong, she wasn't. That was it. She didn't _have_ to be strong anymore, Zelena would help her, Robin would help her, others too.

But she wasn't _okay_ , that was the realisation she'd come to. She wasn't ok, she was broken, she was shattered into thousands of tiny pieces, difficult to fix. Daniel had broken her over the years, each bruise breaking into her surface a little deeper, each cut slicing into soul, his words inflicting more pain than any of the wounds. He was her murderer, the one who'd torn her spirit into shreds, allowing it to bleed across the floor and make her watch helplessly. Regina shook her head, closing her eyes. She moved from her space, frowning as her head spun slightly. She winced as she her foot slipped, twisting her ankle.

 _His shadow over her._

Regina put a hand to her head.

 _The throbbing in her ankle increased, wood splinters surrounding her on the carpet._

She frowned, the wave of dizziness increasing.

 _"Do you understand?" He growled, mouth by her ear. The brunette whimpered, tears in her eyes. She nodded._

 _"Good" He spat._

Panic flared in her chest. What...What was happening?

 _He landed another slap to her cheek, his sneer curling at his lips in a menacing snarl._

"Z-Zelena!" Regina practically screamed. "Zelena!" She trembled, trying to find something to clutch onto as the flashbacks intruded her mind.

 _Her ankle throbbed. Her vision was blurred from tears as she looked at it, blood trickling from a cut._

Zelena was there in an instant, her brow furrowed. She saw Regina and gasped, rushing to her side.

"Regina?"

The brunette was shaking. The flashbacks and dizziness retreated, leaving her in a shaken state. Zelena put an arm around her shoulders, leading her back to the bed. Regina sunk to the floor instead, arms wrapping around her legs. Zelena sat next to her, her arm still around Regina's shoulders. The younger woman leant her head on the redhead's shoulder.

"Shhh, Regina, I got you, sis, I got you" Zelena whispered, stroking Regina's hair softly. Whatever had happened, it had clearly sparked something in her sister, something bad. Zelena bit her lip. Perhaps it was best if she contacted Archie, asked if he could help... She'd ask Regina in the morning. For now, she stayed on the floor, comforting the quivering brunette.

* * *

A/N Short chapter, I know, but y'all can surely understand.

 **Also** , I was sent a very interesting PM. It was very observational. If you remember, back in Chapter 2, I listed the people who'd done something to cause Regina nightmares. They were Cora, Daniel, and _Leopald_. This person (they'll remain nameless) observed how I haven't yet said what happened between Regina and Leopald. So, I wanna see if any of y'all can guess. Comment what you think happened, we'll see who's right ;)

-Oncie


	9. Chapter 9

_You guys are the literal best._

* * *

 **Disclaimers have been done**

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Also, this is a flashback chapter

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 **Chapter 9**

 _The brunette walked down the street, head down, books in hand. She knew she was late- Daniel had insisted on walking her through the park- and she knew it would anger her mother. Regina sighed, tucking the books closer to her chest, wishing for some miracle. Perhaps Cora wouldn't be home? Or something happened, so she was too busy to notice? Maybe, just maybe, Zelena would be home, and then Cora wouldn't lay a hand on her._

 _Zelena was always so protective, but she'd moved out a few years back. She was older by four years, and was always the rebellious one, refusing to listen to their mother, no matter the consequences. Regina, however, had slowly moulded into the "perfect" daughter that Cora had wanted, which meant when she messed up, the results were always bad._

 _As she turned the corner to her street, she stopped at the sight of familiar red curls by her house. Zelena. But there was also shouting, and a lot of it. Regina could hear it from there. Frowning, she made her way up to the gate._

 _"I don't care!" Zelena snapped, green eyes alight with anger. "I'm a grown woman, you have no legal control over me anymore!"_

 _"Oh please, you foolish girl, that means nothing. I'm your mother."_

 _"Does it look like I care? If I never listened to you, what makes you think I would now? You're just an abusive bitch, Cora Mills. A manipulative, abusive, bitch." Zelena turned her back, stalking down the front path. She slowed as she saw Regina, shooting her a small smile. Cora glared from the doorway._

 _"Come with me, sis. You don't have to live with her, I'm legally an adult, so I can look after you" Zelena offered calmly, ignoring the scoff from Cora. Regina bit her lip. It was tempting, oh so tempting. Leave her mother? Live with Zelena? It would be perfect, so perfect... But... She looked between the two. Cora smirked, knowing full well what Regina was contemplating. She had full control over the brunette._

 _"Come along, Regina. Leave your sister, come inside, it's almost dinner"_

 _"I..." Regina looked between the two again. Without thinking it through properly, she dropped her books, turned on her heel, and ran. Ran away, not listening to the calls from both women._

~0~

 _She only stopped when she knew she was far enough away. Regina found herself in the stables, the ones where Daniel worked part time. She walked around, gazing at the horses in their stalls, sometimes moving to stroke one's neck._

 _"Regina?" It was Daniel, his brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?"_

 _"I..." She turned to face him. "I couldn't take it, and ran"_

 _"Are you ok?" He cupped her cheek gently, searching for any physical signs that she was hurt._

 _"Yeah, well, I think.." Regina mumbled. Within a few seconds, Daniel was holding her close to his chest, kissing her hair softly._

 _"You'll be okay, 'Gina. I got you" He whispered, pulling back slightly to look at her face. Regina looked back up at him, something warm fluttering in her chest. He always had a way of making things ok, making her feel safe. The brunette leant up, placing her lips on his in a sweet kiss. Daniel smiled, cupping her cheek again, his other arm slipping around her waist to bring her closer. Regina looped her arms around his neck, tilting her head into the gentle exchange. God, how she loved him._

 _It was Daniel who pulled away first, running his thumb over her bottom lip._

 _"I love you, Regina Mills" He grinned. That grin that made her head spin, and her toes curl. The grin that made his eyes dance with light, making her fall for him over and over again._

 _"And I love you, Daniel Coulter"_

* * *

A/N Another short chapter, I know. But originally, I had a long one, I just didn't like what I wrote, so I deleted it. It took me a while to think of what to put for this.

Question, what do you want to see next?

1\. More Regina/Robin bonding?

2\. More Regina/Zelena time?

3\. Therapist session?

4\. More flashbacks?

(There's a poll on my profile)

Annnnd, also, if ye have any questions, either comment them, or send me a PM :)


	10. Chapter 10

_Sorry this took so long... I have a lot going on._

* * *

 **Disclaimers are the same**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

She was starting to go out by herself more and more, slowly giving trust to the citizens. Regina was sitting on a park bench, just thinking. Zelena was still urging her to go to the police, or at least visit Dr Hopper, but each time, she refused. Going to either one, would simply force her to revisit each time, and she just wanted to forget it all. She wanted to forget how every bruise made flinch, how she couldn't look at the scar on her lip without wanting to cry, how she still tensed at unknown contact. His face haunted her at night, imprinted clearly into her mind, taunting her, mocking her. Maybe she really _did_ need to see Archie...

"You look like you could use a friend" It was a voice she only just recognised- she'd only met the person a few times. Regina turned to face the woman, Mary Margaret, the happy, smiling teacher who was married to David.

"Maybe I could" Regina admitted, shuffling along the bench to allow Mary Margaret to sit. The woman did, looking at Regina.

"What's on your mind?"

"Everything.." Regina sighed, running a hand through her hair. She didn't want to let the other in on too much: what had happened was _her_ business.

"Why don't we go get coffee at the diner?" Mary Margaret offered, smiling as always. She stood, Regina following her.

~0~

The diner wasn't busy for once, just a few others sitting around tables, reading, or talking. The two women chose a booth near the end, both sitting by the window on their side. Regina looked out, heart slowing as her eyes landed on a car. There was someone inside, staring at her, _watching_ her.

"Regina?"

Her focus was snapped back to the woman opposite her.

"I'm sorry, yes?"

"Ruby asked what you wanted" Mary Margaret nodded towards the waitress.

"Oh... I'll have a, uh, whatever she's having, please" She finally decided, avoiding anyone's eyes. Instead, her gaze fell back to the car. The man inside was still watching her. He was eating something, but his eyes would always remain trained on the brunette. Every time she looked away, she always ended up looking again. Something was off about this...

Instantly, her worst fears poked through. Daniel. Daniel had sent someone after her. What other option was there? He had... She was trapped. She would be forced to go back... She...

"So, how-"

"I'm sorry, I have to go" She mumbled, standing and practically running to the door. She stopped as she collided with someone walking into the diner. Regina only muttered a quick "sorry" before pushing past. She was stopped by a hand catching onto her wrist. Once more, her heart slowed, images of Daniel flashing through her mind.

"Let go!" Regina pleaded, turning to face whoever was there. It was Robin. He realised his mistake straight away, dropping his grip.

"I'm sorry" He bit his lip. "What's wrong, Regina?" He followed her glance to the car, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Is that guy following you?"

"I...I think so" Regina nodded slowly, finally meeting his eyes. Robin saw the fear in her face, it shone out of her eyes like a beacon. He led her back inside.

"Follow me" He looked at her for acceptance of his request. Regina nodded. Robin took her out through the back, through the kitchen- after Ruby allowed it- and into the back alley.

~0~

He only stopped when they were safely outside Zelena's house.

"Did you know the guy?" Robin asked, glancing around quickly for any sign of the car. Regina shook her head.

"I... No" But somehow, she felt like she did. His face had seemed _so familiar_ to her, his name on the tip of her tongue. Robin searched her face, frowning slightly.

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not... I don't know him, but...but I think I recognise him"

"From where?"

"I-I don't know... Robin, I'm.." She trailed off, avoiding his gaze. He tilted his head, his face softening.

"What is it, Regina?"

"I'm...scared" She whispered, closing her eyes. It was the first time she had admitted it to someone other than herself. The first time she had fully come to terms with it. The first time she had completely accepted that the swirling darkness had poked through all her defences. Robin said nothing more, just reached forward and enveloped her in a hug. For the first time, Regina didn't flinch. Instead, she actually wrapped her arms around him in return, burying her head into his shoulder.

"It's alright, I'll be here, Regina. Every hour, every day. And if he ever comes to Storybrooke, I'll be happy to give him more than a talk"

Regina gave a shaky chuckle.

"Why is it you care so much? You barely know me" The brunette sniffed, looking up at him. Robin gave her a soft smile, pulling back so he could face her properly.

"Because no one should have to go through what you did. You went through Hell, Regina, and you survived."

"Doesn't feel like it. I'm broken"

"Broken things can be repaired" He replied. In the corner of his eye, Robin spotted a vehicle, black in colour, parked at the end of the street. His brow furrowed, before registering it was the same car from before. He nudged Regina.

"Don't look now, but the car is there again. Don't say anything, just act normal, and follow me inside" He muttered, opening the gate. Regina followed him in, fighting the temptation to peek over her shoulder at the car. They made inside, her heart beating wildly with worry. For the next hour, she just sat on his couch, staring into space. Honestly, her behaviour was worrying Robin. He would routinely look out the curtains, to see if the car was still there. It was. He gave up soon enough, sitting down next to her. Regina barely heard the words that he spoke.

"You'll be safe, I promise"

* * *

A/N Eek! Sorry for the really late update. As you know, I have to balance Fanfiction, school, and life (and usually I just focus on Fanfic because I'm a terrible student. JK). I honestly kinda forgot about this. Once more, it's a short chapter, once more I dislike it, and once more, I didn't quite know what to do with this chapter. I _do_ , however, have an idea playing around in my head, involving the stranger in the car, Daniel, and Regina... We'll see how that goes.

Review as always!

-Oh, and small side point, a few of you PMed me in concerns to what happened with Regina having flashbacks. There will be more concerning that in the next few chapters, with Archie.

Thanks for staying with me,

-Oncie


	11. Chapter 11

_Another late chapter, I know.. But this week is hard for me, I have a funeral coming up.. So yeah.._

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

 _Vulnerability. It was a large thing in her life. That was the thing about being a teenage girl, she was always warned about being vulnerable. She was always told to be home before dark- not that she was allowed out much anyway. Regina sighed, glancing up at the darkening sky. It was getting late. The study group had finished later than usual, as there were new members and the rules had to be discussed and read out again. Honestly, it was unbelievable. But something else had happened today: she'd been invited to a party._

 _Now, everyone knew the Mills family. The daughters- herself and Zelena- were high achievers. A*s and A+s were a normal occurrence between the sisters. Cora and Henry Mills were wealthy, important people. Everyone knew the Mills house, just by a glance. It was in the poshest street in town, white in colour, and even with columns at the front. But everyone also knew how strict Cora was, which is why Regina was never invited out. Zelena had always been a rebellious spirit, ignoring her mother's rules and sneaking out in the dead of night to party, but Regina, Regina was different. She stuck to the rules._

 _Which is why she'd been surprised when someone had come up to her in school, casually offering her a ride. Daniel had been with her, and instantly, he'd said yes. It was Daniel, of course he did. He was the kid everyone knew, but not like her. They knew him because he got along with most people. He could be athletic like the jocks, throwing a ball to someone, he could be smart like the geeks, figuring out difficult equations in small amounts of time, and he could be like the gamers, giving tips on how to improve, achieving high scores on various games. Everyone knew Daniel Coulter._

 _It had taken her a minute, but Regina had finally accepted the invite, with a small smile. Now, the only problem was sneaking out of the house without being noticed. She sighed, opening the front gate and slowly walking up the path. She didn't want to go home. But... she was too far there. Slowly turning the handle, she crept inside._

~0~

 _It was easier than she thought, sneaking out. All she had to do was wait. The minute midnight hit, and she couldn't hear the TV downstairs, or her parents talking, Regina silently opened her window. The climb down was probably the hardest part, and she was sure she scraped her hand, but at least she was on her way. Regina set off down the street. She was going to Daniel's, where one of his friends would be taking his car and giving them a lift. She glanced around the dimly lit road, eyes instantly trying to seek out any signs of someone following her. It was midnight, it was dark, and she was alone... who knew what could happen? She sighed in relief, stopping outside the house. Daniel came out, grinning._

 _"You came!"_

 _"Of course..."_

 _"Sorry, I know you said you would, but... obviously with Cora and stuff..." Daniel bit his lip, thinking he'd gone wrong. Regina placed a gentle hand on his arm, smiling._

 _"Daniel, it's fine,"_

 _"Phew," He sighed in relief, before taking her hand._

 _"So, you ready?" Daniel grinned, mischievous twinkle in his eye. Regina chuckled._

 _"As ready as I'll ever be,"_

~0~

 _She stumbled through the crowd of people, mind in a blurry fuzz. Strobe lights flashed around them, the amount of people slightly claustrophobic. There was even a smoke machine, blowing smoke around the band's feet. Of course, it wasn't a huge band, just some local boys from school; they were pretty good. Regina found Daniel, draping one arm around his neck, knees almost buckling. Daniel frowned, realising with a sigh that his girlfriend was drunk._

 _"You okay?" He asked, placing an arm around her so she didn't fall._

 _"Mhm..."_

 _"Come on, let's get you out of here, you're drunk,"_

 _"Am not!" The brunette protested, her words slurring slightly. Daniel rolled his eyes, leading her out of the back door, into the garden. Luckily, not many people had decided to come out, even with the pool, they preferred to stay inside. He helped her over to a pool chair, sitting her down. Regina leant up, clutching onto his shirt, and clumsily placing her lips on his. Daniel pulled back, making sure she remained lying down._

 _"Mhm.. love you," Regina mumbled, one arm hanging down, her hand on the concrete._

 _"And I love you too, darling, but you're drunk, it wouldn't be right," Daniel whispered gently, stroking her hair. Regina went to protest, but turned her head, closing her eyes._

 _"Let's get you home," He crouched by her, softly placing his arms underneath her, and picking her up. Her head lolled to the side, resting on his shoulder. Daniel carefully walked out to the front, ignoring the few people arriving, the looks, the raised brows. After quickly discussing with a friend, Daniel collected his mate's car keys, opened the door, and placed her down inside. He made his way round the driver's side, sliding in. Screw taking her back to Cora's, he knew there would be hell in the morning if he did. Instead, Daniel drove back to his. Regina had fallen asleep on the way, half curled on the seat. He took her into his arms once more, taking her inside, calling a quick "Night," to his parents, before taking the slumbering brunette into his bedroom. Daniel lay her down on his bed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Before he slept, he got into her phone, typing out a quick text._

Sorry I'm not in, I decided to get up early and work on a project at school, Mother. -Regina.

 _He set it to send at 6am, shutting off the phone afterwards. Daniel collected spare bedding, putting it on the floor. He'd let her have the bed tonight. He lay down, falling asleep almost instantly._


	12. Chapter 12

_Yooooooo! Sorry it's late!_

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

Robin slid a drink over to her silently. Regina looked up, surprised, but took it anyway. The car had left around an hour ago, and yet, neither one of them believed it was safe for her to go back out.

"Who do you think sent the car?" Robin asked, eyes cast down to watch the chestnut coloured liquid in his glass swirl around the bottom. The brunette opposite him bit her lip, closing her eyes. There was only one man who would do that, one who would be so desperate to get her back, he would send someone after her...

"Daniel."

The silence that followed that one word was horrible. She could tell Robin was thinking it all through, connecting dots, thinking of ways to keep her safe. She didn't anyone to keep her safe. She was fine! Well... maybe it was nice to have someone there. Of course, Zelena was there too, everyone was... but there were only a few people who she _trusted_ with everything. And somehow, this man had crawled into the centre of that circle, winning her trust completely. Regina couldn't even say _how_ he did it, he just... did.

There was something about this blue eyed, English, charming person that made her want to pour out everything. Tell him how just the thought of Daniel made her stomach twist into knots, how the mention of Leopald- not that Robin, or many people actually, knew who Leopald was- was enough to sent a shiver to her spine, and her head to fill with all those unpleasant memories. Perhaps it was the way Robin always seemed to be there in her time of need, or how he always _listened_. She barely knew anything about him, but he already knew the things he should and shouldn't do, the words he shouldn't say, the questions he shouldn't ask. And she hadn't even _told_ him any of that stuff, he'd just...saw her reactions to things, and sussed everything out.

Robin hesitated for a second, before nodding.

"I see... Are you sure you want to stay in-"

"Yes." Regina cut him off. There was no way she was leaving Storybrooke. She couldn't do that to Henry. She couldn't just pick everything up and run again.

"Look," She sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"I don't want to talk about this... not now, not yet... Can we just, I don't know, play stupid trivia games about each other?"

Robin chuckled slightly, setting his glass down on the table. The Brit leant back into the sofa, crossing one leg over the other.

"Of course, if that's what you want.. Let's see... 20 Questions work for you?"

"Go ahead,"

"Alright... Favourite food?"

Regina shook her head, laughing slightly.

"That is such a classic question. But I have to say, apple turnovers are my weakness,"

"Remind me to bring you some," And once more, Robin smiled. That _goddamn perfect_ smile that made her toes curl slightly. That smile that made her feel like _everything would be okay_.

"I will... Hm.. let's see... Favourite book?"

"Does it make me completely cliche if I say Robin Hood? The only thing I had from my parents, was an old version of his tales.. and even when I was passed house to house in care homes, the book always brought me some strange sense of hope.." Robin shook his head, smiling slightly. Regina leant over, placing her hand on his knee. She'd had no idea about his past...

"It's stupid, I know," Robin insisted, looking down. Regina sighed.

"Robin, it's not... If it helps, the reason why apple turnovers are my favourite, is because it's the first thing I learnt to make. And whenever Mother was angry at me, she always settled when I made them..."

"But that has meaning behind it-"

"So does yours. That book was from your parents... It's special to you. Of course it'll bring happiness,"

There was no way she was going to let him think something so special was stupid. No way.

Sure, she'd had a hard life. She'd fought for years to be free, and when she'd thought she was, she'd only been trapped again. But that didn't mean she couldn't comfort others. This was a man who'd done everything for her; he'd cracked jokes when she was upset, he was always round to check up... How had she never seen it? The way his eyes burned with such determination to make someone else happy, because there was a time where he wasn't. The way his smile would occasionally just fade almost as soon as it appeared. Robin Locksley made sure she was smiling, even if he wasn't. He was one of the good people in this world, someone who obviously deserved an award of some sort.

Robin gazed at her for a second. Why was she doing this? She was the one who needed comfort- after everything she'd been through. There was a man after her, and she was the one helping _him_. Regina was one of the strongest women he'd ever known. She'd been through _so so_ much, and she was still here. She made sure her son was always happy, even she wasn't. He saw such a determination in her eyes, to make sure someone else was happy, even if she wasn't. He noticed how a lot of the time, her smile faded away the minute it appeared, but as long as the other remained happy, she would be content. Regina Mills made sure she helped others, even if she didn't believe she could help herself. She was one of the strong people in this world, someone who definitely deserved an award of some sort.

Hesitantly, Robin moved his hand to cover hers, squeezing it lightly. There was a clear look of shock on Regina's face, but she squeezed back with a small smile.

And without thinking, he leant forward, brushing his lips across hers. And yet, to his surprise, Regina kissed back, her eyes closing. Robin placed one hand at her shoulder, the other resting at the small of her back.

But that was when she froze. That was when he saw the fear flicker across her face, eyes snapping open. Regina pulled herself away, squeezing her eyes shut.

"I-I have to go... I-I..."

He simply nodded, head hanging. He'd messed up. This woman was _scarred_ from everything she'd been through. She was...healing. And he'd just _kissed_ her in a time of vulnerability. Not a good move.

Regina grabbed her things, hurrying towards the door, images of Daniel flashing through her head.

* * *

A/N Whatcha think? Did you like what I did with the two paragraphs about each other?


	13. Chapter 13

_The results are in, and the trilogy will take place! But (*spoiler alert*) it does mean that this fic will **not** have a happy ending._

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Regina."

"Zelena."

"What happened?"

They'd been at this for ten minutes now, Zelena pushing to know what happened, her refusing to say. It was nothing. A kiss. That's it.

She'd had a flashback. She'd left. That was it. No more to the story.

Sure, Robin probably hadn't _meant_ to do that, he probably just acted without thinking- and it wasn't like she'd pushed him away, not at first. Things like that happened in the world all the time. Just...most of the time not to someone like her. Someone struggling to think normally, someone who was scared to be in large crowds, and yet, at the same time, alone with someone.

"I... Robin... He kissed me," she whispered, glancing around the room, avoiding her sister's eyes. Zelena gaped, struggling for words.

"He... _Robin_?"

"Yeah..."

"Why?"

"I don't know! We had a moment.. and-and I kissed him back, Zel... because it all just felt so _right_ for once..." Regina sat down, tucking her knees to her chest.

"Then why are you here? And not still over there?"

"Daniel."

The flashbacks. The way that his kisses used to make her feel.

They didn't speak for another few moments. The name left a silence, as it always did. Because there was no moment where she could forget him. She tried. She tried pretending. And maybe if she closed her eyes, and wished hard enough, she could be in a fairytale. She could get her 'Happy Ever After' 'The End' and wake up feeling a princess. Maybe one day, if she dreamed peacefully, she could wake up and still be in that dream world, where everything was fine. Where the smiles were true, and the whispers in her ears weren't harmful or scheming. Where the words " _Trust me_ ," will make her trust them, and not expect the worst. A world where Henry could grow up and never face anything that would scar his mind. Where he would never learn what happened to her; he would never have to learn that the smile she wore everyday was just a delicately painted mask to hide the broken eyes behind, to hide the dark circles forming, almost identical to bruises.

The type of world where people's looks weren't of pity, because this world would be perfect. The place she used to escape to as a child.

But no matter how hard she tried, Daniel's face stayed behind her eyelids. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him. And those times when she'd seen people clench their fists in an unspoken rage, she instead saw Daniel's eyes hardening as his hand curled to a fist. Every time someone placed a hand on her shoulder, or maybe caught her wrist to stop her, it was _his_ hand instead, tightening and trapping her. She couldn't get any further away from her mind.

"Gina... Please, go see Archie.."

No. She didn't want to. She didn't want to go to therapy; she didn't want to have to relive the moments she kept secret. Regina shook her head, looking away.

"Regina, please. Archie's great, he never makes you do anything you don't want to do. I've been to him several times, and he really helped,"

"I don't want to! I don't want to relive those moments, Zelena!"

"I hate to say this, and I'm sorry if it sounds insensitive, but you have to! To fully get past them, you have to relive them just _one_ last time!"

"How?" The brunette stood, eyes guarded and hurt.

"How do I forget the way his eyes had that glint to them when he was angry? How do I forget what his words did, how they made me silently cry in the middle of the night, wishing someone could just _hear_ me? And how do I forget the times where he _wasn't_ a monster, the times he came home with flowers, smiling. The smile that makes me love him, the smile that makes him look like the man I fell in love with... And how do I forget the things that weren't _him_? How do I ignore what Leopald did to me? How I spent _hours_ in the shower, trying to erase his touch from my skin. Because maybe, just _maybe_ , if I made the water hot enough, it would wash off the bruises that lined my wrist, it would remove the feeling of his hands wandering, even when I told him _no_.. How do I just move past all that, Zelena!?" By the end of her speech, tears were falling, her voice was wavering, and her shoulders had tensed, hunching over. Zelena ran a hand through her hair, leaning forward and hugging her sister tightly.

"I'm sorry, Regina... I know that was insensitive of me.."

"N-No... I..I get it, you want what's best for me..."

They stayed like that for a few moments, holding each other close. Regina wiped her eyes, took a shaky breath, and nodded.

"...I'll go see Archie..."

* * *

A/N I know this was late, but I wanted to spend a little more time on how she was actually feeling, hence the paragraphs focusing on her thoughts.

And I gave a little bit more insight on what happened between Leopald and Regina, so I'm sure you can probably guess what happened now. There _will_ be a chapter- maybe a flashback- focusing more on _that_ story though, maybe the next one or the one after.

Review, please! I want t' know what you think!

Thanks for reading!

~Oncie


	14. Chapter 14

_It took me some time to decide on this chapter, and then some more to actually write it.. I hope it's okay._

 **I want to make it clear that this chapter if possibly the most serious one in this story so far. I have tried my hardest to write it in a manner that will not offend anyone who has gone through this.**

* * *

 **TW: rape (non explicit)**

 **Chapter 14**

 _She hated Fridays. Such an odd thing, many students prefer Fridays. It's the day you get to go home, and relax for two days until the school run starts up again. But for her, it was just the day she had to go back to personal hell for two days, without a distraction of school._

 _At least she had an afterschool club before home, she got to stay another hour and a half. That brought some sort of relief to Regina as the final school bell rang for the day. With her bag strap planted firmly on her shoulder, she headed up to the History classroom. A knot twisted in her stomach as black laced shoes paced closer to the door._

 _She may enjoy afterschool activities, but she didn't like the teacher. Mr Leopald Blanchard. He was both her History teacher, and a friend of her mother's. He was round every other week. That wasn't the thing she disliked most about the man, though. It was the uneasiness she felt when his eyes were on her. Because his eyes never looked at her_ face _, they were anywhere other. Regina hesitantly placed a hand on the door, pushing it forward.  
_

 _Phew, there were already students in there. She wouldn't have to be alone with him..._

 _"You're late, Miss Mills," Even his voice alone sent chills down her spine._

 _"I, uh, I had to give Daniel his jacket," Regina refused to look at him, hurrying to sit down at her spot and throw herself into the textbook._

~0~

 _At the end of the class, she went up to the desk to hand in her work, avoiding looking at him._

 _"Thank you, Miss Mils," There was a smirk evident in his tone and her stomach curled. Regina turned away, reaching for her bag, feeling his gaze still on her. Gods, what an actual creep he was. She was quick to leave, nausea rolling over her in waves. It was horrible being around that man, and no doubt he would be visiting tomorrow. Perhaps she could just hide out in her room... Who was she kidding? Her mother would make sure she look presentable. Regina sighed, checking the bus times._

 _Cancelled? They had to be kidding. It_ had _to be working, she'd be late otherwise..._

 _Well, it seemed being late was her only option. Walking home in the setting sun, alone, and late. How perfect. Not._

 _Regina set off down the road, bag tucked tightly to her side. She had the route planted in her mind, full of short cuts to get home quicker. The only problem was, most of them included alleys and backstreets. She wasn't overthinking it, but she read the news, she'd heard stories. She knew that it was just the way the world worked._

 _Things happened. People following you in the streets, teachers who gave you the wrong look, parents who didn't encourage you, but tore you down instead. Some people were just unlucky. And she was one of them. With a parent who was so forceful and smothering with her perceptions of beauty and perfection. Sure, Regina had made sure she passed on both of Cora's ideas on the subjects. She made sure she was the perfect, beautiful daughter her mother wanted. The one who got good grades, who never even_ dared _to touch a_ drop _of alcohol- though, that had been broken on a few occasions- and never wore anything that made a statement._

 _Regina turned the corner, the streetlights flickering on as the sky overhead grew darker. Without thinking, her walking pace increased, her eyes darting around just to check there was no one. It was silly, she knew, but maybe there was someone, something... There was just that feeling, that someone was watching her... She shook it off, chuckling to herself. It was just because it was dark, and she was walking down a hidden street alone. That was all. Just her imagination._

 _That was until she heard the car, the low rumble of an engine. She held her breath as the car pulled up next to her._

 _Leopald. Er, Mr Blanchard. What was he doing here? The window rolled down, to reveal him with an unnerving grin._

 _"Miss Mills, it's awfully dark, what are you doing out here alone?"_

 _"Walking home, Sir,"_

 _"I could always give you a ride? I've been to your house enough times,"_

 _She really_ really _didn't want that to happen, but... he probably would continue to insist on it. Regina gave a small nod of her head, moving around to get in the passenger's seat._

~0~

 _The majority of the ride went fine.. until he turned on the wrong corner. It was towards a country lane?_

 _"Er, Sir... This is the wrong way..."_

 _"No worries, there's construction on your road. We have to take the long way round."_

 _Regina didn't trust him one bit. However, she said nothing against him, and just stared outside the window. She vaguely registered the car pulling to a stop._

 _But they weren't at her house? They were halfway up the lane. There was only fields on either side of them._

 _"Mr Blanchard?"_

 _"It seems I have a flat tire. Would you care to help me?" He asked, opening his door. Regina noted the very_ slight _smirk to his lips as she exited, helping him retrieve the spare tire from the trunk. She opened the trunk, reaching to grab the tire. She sensed him behind her, his eyes on her._

 _"Is this-" Regina was cut off by a hand,_ his _hand, covering her mouth. She flailed for a second, before coming to her senses. The brunette struggled against him as she felt one arm tug around her waist, dragging her backwards. She bit down on his finger, heard a growled curse, and yet, he managed to keep his hold on her. Regina tried kicking him, but Leopald simply sidestepped._

 _He pushed her to the ground, her head hitting the concrete. Regina winced, her head spinning. She had to get away from him. Trying to stand, the brunette placed her hands in front of her, pushing up. But Leopald was there in an instant, his hand covering her mouth again, his hand roaming to places she didn't_ want _him to be._

 _"N-No," She tried screaming at him, but no sound came out. That smirk was at his lips, his eyes dark and evil._

 _"Shhh, shh, now. Just relax and enjoy it," Leopald almost_ cooed _, his tone making her shudder. Regina attempted to fight again, placing her hand against him and wriggling to get away. There was an amused chuckle, and then the first hit was landed; his open palm colliding with her cheek. Regina shut her eyes, biting her lip. No no no... No... Why couldn't someone just drive by?_

 _"Help! Someone, hel-" She froze, feeling his hand at the hem of her shirt. Probing fingers found buttons... She clenched her eyes shut, flinching away from his touch. It wasn't long before she heard it. A zipper being pulled down._

 _"Mr Blanchard... Leopald.. Please... PLEASE.." The brunette begged, hot tears starting to roll down her cheeks._

 _"Just enjoy it, you_ should _enjoy it, you hear me?" was the gruff response. Regina shook her head, looking up at the sky as one hand pulled at her skirt, the other clamping over her mouth once more._

~0~

 _Blank faced, she walked through the corridors, numb feeling blossoming in her chest. She was wearing a long sleeved jumper, the bruises that painted her skin hidden. Daniel walked beside her, worried expression crossed on his face. He'd been watching her the last few days, and she was worrying him._

 _He saw how her face grew paler each and every day, how there were dark circles under her eyes. He saw how she bought lunch, but never ate anything (and he noted how her clothes seemed to be hanging off her. She was growing thinner). But the most prominent change was how she winced whenever he tried to hug her, how she wouldn't hold his hand anymore. And whenever_ any _male, for that matter, came near her, she flinched. She couldn't stay in crowds anymore, she fidgeted especially through any History class, and she didn't even attend the mandatory afterschool study sessions._

 _Something was wrong, and he didn't know what. But he would find out._

 _"Regina, wait!" Daniel called as the final bell rang for the end of the day. She slowly came to a stop, turning to face him, her head hanging, eyes on the floor._

 _"What?" Gods, her voice sounded so..._ vulnerable... _what had happened to her?_

 _"Let me give you a ride home,"_

 _She almost curled over, her eyes shutting tightly. Regina whimpered, the memory from a few nights back flashing in her mind._

 _"Regina? What's wrong, darling? Please...tell me?"_

 _"I-I.."_

 _"You?"_

 _She said nothing more, but moved to his car, rocking on her toes. Daniel frowned, reaching for his keys and unlocking it. His girlfriend didn't even go for the passenger's seat, she dived into the back seat, bringing her legs up to her chest. Daniel moved to sit next to her. He really was worried now. This wasn't like her._

 _"Regina? Darling?" He knew better than to try and hug her, scared it would make her flinch. But he didn't have to worry, because...Regina hugged_ him. _She clung to him, trembling, tears streaming down her cheeks and landing on his shirt. The brunette buried her face into his neck, letting go. Letting go of everything she'd built up, hidden away. Daniel slowly wrapped his arms around her, making sure it was okay._

 _"What happened?"_

 _"I-I..." A hesitation. Regina pulled back to look at him with wide eyes, eyes that shone with fear, with fright._

 _"You?"_

 _Never in his nightmares would he have been prepared for the words that left her mouth._

 _"I-I..I was raped,"_

* * *

A/N I really do hope this chapter was okay... I'm sorry it took so long, but I was debating on whether I should actually write it or not...


	15. UPDATE COMING SOON

Heyyy! I promise an update is coming _soon_ , but I have a lot going on at this moment in time. I plan for the chapter to be out within the next four weeks, but I mean...it may not happen... SORRY! I'll try!

~Oncie


	16. HIATUS

Okay, I'm _very very very very_ sorry about this, but this story will now be on hiatus for an undecided amount of time. I have a _lot_ going on, and I have to put my life first in this instance.

Whilst on hiatus, though, I may still continue to write the chapters, just not upload them until everything's calmed down.

I'm very sorry, and I hope when it comes back, you'll continue reading it :)

Thanks for sticking with me this long, and I hope you'll stick with me on the second half of the journey, when it comes back.

~Oncie


End file.
